Lady Warriors give it their all at state

Competing at the 3A State girls swimming and diving meet in Gillette on Nov. 3-4, the Worland Lady Warriors left it all in the pool and diving board in the season's final meet.

Worland had four athletes make the top 12 in their events. Junior Shea Whitlock was seventh in the 200-yard medley (2:26.58) and ninth in the 100-yard backstroke (1:06.28).

Senior Maci Newell was seventh in the 100-yard freestyle (57.75) and ninth in the 50-yard freestyle (26.37).

Senior Elena Gunderson swam a 2:08.59 in the 200-yard freestyle to finish seventh.

Diver Haley Kinghorn finished 12th in diving with 254 points.

Worland also had two relays place in the top 12. The 200-yard freestyle relay (Newell, Whitlock, Keira Warren, Gunderson) made the podium when they finished sixth, touching the wall at 1:48.99.

The 200-yard medley relay team (Whitlock, Warren, Lila Ramirez, Newell) swam a 2:04.42, finishing seventh.

"Maci Newell going 57 in the 100 free and breaking her own record was pretty awesome," said WHS girls swimming and diving coach Danielle Warren. "The 200 free relay was awesome. The girls were able to each get a [personal record], and that was really exciting. Haley, that was really exciting for her to make the Top 12 this year. Delanie was 13th, which I thought was pretty awesome as well. There were a lot of really awesome swims, and it was very encouraging to see the girls step up in that capacity."

While they didn't hit their expectations in where they wanted to finish, the Lady Warriors competed their hardest. Individually, Worland didn't have a swimmer make the A finals (top six). Making the A finals was the goal for most of the Lady Warriors, and missing that goal is already motivating the team for next season.

"Overall, they gave everything they could. I know they wanted to do better in terms of placing, but they gave it their best, which is what we asked for. There was a lot of excitement and building for next year. There was some, 'Well, I could have done better,' but also some, 'I know what I would change?' I thought that was exciting," said Warren.

Worland's other diver, Delanie Johnson, just missed the top 12, finishing 13th with 178.25 points.

Kinghorn and Johnson have had a friendly internal competition all season long. One of them will win one week, and then next week, the other does. It has helped both divers improve immensely this season.

"That's definitely their personalities, like, 'Oh, you beat me. I'm going to beat you next time.' It did go back and forth between them the whole time, too, and that was fun," said Warren.

One of Warren's favorite races at state was the 200-yard freestyle relay. Putting their individual goals on the back burner, the Lady Warriors swam for each other in that race.

"I've said this about this team over and over again. But with each race, somebody was behind the blocks, cheering them on. There was great camaraderie between all the girls. I thought it was fitting, too, the medals they got top six, it was them swimming a relay. That speaks to this team of like, 'I might not always show up for myself, but I'm going to show up for my teammates.

"I thought that was really cool because they totally did that. When it really counted, they all worked really, really hard for each other. This team, the whole season, constantly worked hard for each other. I love that about them," said Warren. "Shay and Maci swam a 26, Elena had a 26, and Keira swam a 28. That was amazing. It all flowed together as it should. That was the best race."

Look to next week's edition of the Northern Wyoming News for a recap on the Lady Warriors 2023 season.

Points scorers for Worland at the 3A State meet are as follows.

200-yard medley relay

7, Worland (Shea Whitlock, Keira Warren, Lila Ramirez, Maci Newell), 2:04.42.

200-yard freestyle

7, Elena Gunderson, 2:08.59.

200-yard individual medley

7, Shea Whitlock, 2:26.58.

50-yard freestyle

9, Maci Newell, 26.37.

1m diving

12, Haley Kinghorn, 254.70.

100-yard freestyle

7, Maci Newell, 57.75.

200-yard freestyle

6, Worland (Maci Newell, Shae Whitlock, Keira Warren, Elena Gunderson), 1:48.99.

100-yard backstroke

9, Shea Whitlock, 1:06.28.